Swimmer&#39;s speed accelerating device



D. TRUJILLO 1,878,916

SWIMMERS SPEED AGCELERATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 20, 1932.

Filed Nov. 5. 1931 -j a tmrq y. I

Sept. 20, 1932.

D. TRL JJILLO SWIMMERS SPEED ACCELERATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5. 1951 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

A m f 'jm/ewa fim Patented Sept. 20, 1932 reveals nncrnnnro 'rnUJr L or DENVER, COLORADO I SWIMMERS srnnnnoonrnnnrme 'nnvron;

Application'filed. November 5, 1931. Serial No. 573,102.

metal footplate. To theunderside ofthe- My invention relatesto a swimmers speed accelerating device. And the objectsof my invention are: V i

First, to provide a device that is adapted to be attached to the feet of swimmers that will enable them toexert an additional pressure against the water to that of their bare feet, on the outward strokes vof their feet against the water and thatwill increase the speed of theswimmer through it.

Second, to provide a swimming speed accelerating device that is attached to the feetof the swimmer and acts to-inorease the speed of swimming'forward on thejkicking out stroke of the-feet and also acts to move and hold the body upward againstsinking as long as a slight swimming movement of the feet is maintained. v a I I Third, to provide a swimming shoe that q is adapted tobe worn by swimmers andthat 'will enable them to swim faster in a straight lineand to turn corners or angles and even into an opposite direction in a fraction of n the time they canturn with bare feet and legs.

" Fig. 2.

l I I attain these objects by the mechanism il c lustrated and described in the accompanying drawings and specification, in which, i a

. Fig. l is a side elevationof the device-as appears when securedto the foot of the swimmer, the wings beingclosed.

' Fig. 2 is 'abottom plan v1ew.of;thesame,-

the wings being shown open or spread positions. l1 l t Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3'3 of Fig.

and fastening straps being removed. 7 v

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional D v1ew thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: The numeral l refers to the base or foot plate of the device, which is in the form of a thin rectangular metal plate, preferably aluminum, and 2 the wings which are pivotally secured to the long sides of the platel, by

hinges 3. Upon the top side of the foot platev 1 is secured a pad 4 of any suitable material such as rubber, or linoleum, which prevents the foot of the wearer from contact with the 4. is an underside perspective view-. of the device, the chains -foot plate, and near the front and rear ends similar channel section 7, is also riveted to I the plate centrally of its width, and extends fromthesectionjG to the heel end of the plate. The purpose of the sections 5, 6 and? will be later explained. The ends of the sections of the wings, and the open or spread positions of the wings are defined in the following manner I Two eye bolts 8 are secured to each wing, in

'tions-5 and 6, define the closed or folded posi- 7 line with the channels 5 and 6, the shanks of r the bolts-passing through nuts 9 on opposite sides of the wing, and the eyes being on the inner, sides of the wing and being bent at angles to, the shanks so as to lie in substantially horizontal positions when the wings are spread, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. To each eye boltis secured a chain comprising a pair ,of swivel links 10 and asnaphook 11, and each twoopposinghooksare adapted toengage a ring-12, thus connecting thewings and.

limiting outward movements; The chains and their connecting ring 12, lie within the channels 5; and 6, respectively, and a bolt 13 ,passesjthrough eachof the ohannels'and through each of the rings12, thussupporting the rings, but-permitting them to have alim:- v ited lateral movement ineither direction. A substantially Z-shaped plate 14, is riveted to theforward end of the foot plate. This plate extends the full width of the foot plate, and

presents an upright portion at right angles to the footplate, a lower, step portion which is and an upper step portion to which is riveted a clip 15 to which is secured one end of a strap l6,the free end portion of which is providedlwith a suitable buckle 17 which is ad-' jj'u's'tably mounted thereon The plate "14 may be an integral part of the foot plate, if desired. Astrap 18 passes through the channeli5 and is' secured by a split pinr19 which passes throughitv and through the foot plate and padd as shown in Fig- 5. This strap secured to the under sideof the foot plate, f

passed uparoundthe edges of the foot plate and over the forward portion of the foot, and

one of its ends is provided with a buckle 20. L Another strap 21 is passed through slots 22 in the foot plate and pad 4:, and is passed up over the instep, one of its ends being provided with a buckle23, andF'thisstrap carries a heel strapQ i, the ends ofiwhich are hooked around the saidstrapj21, which is secured to the foot plate by a. split pin rl5,.. in ,thef

' same manner as the strap I82 The'free end of the strap16 is passed around. the strap 21, and when drawn upon and secured by the buckle 17, the heel strap -iszca nsedtoe hug the. back of the foot and thusprevent forward slipping movement of;- the --de-vice, while-*the straps 18 and '21, hold the foot plate'tothe bottom of the foot and also prevent backward slipping of the" same, as will be understood by reference to Fig-,1 Strapsof'sui-table wovenm'aterial are prefe bl used as they are notafiected by wat d d out quickly. .o

practice, the swimmer securesoneof. 'thcdevi-ces upon'each foot and m-theact of swimming, he uses his legs'in the manner natural to swimmers. -Up"on each propelling stroke of theleg,the impact of thewi n gsupon the Water'causesthem to spread tothe limit of their movements as defined bythe chains,

and-the wings which are each two inches, in

width in addition to the foot plates, which are nearlyfour inches in *widthg p-rovid ea propelling surface for each foot" which is more than double the surface of: thesoleof the foot, andthe increased resistance oflered by the impact of this greatly increased propelthrough-the water,

ments o-fthe legsthe wings'are' automatically folded against theends of the cl1annels =5 and 6, andthnsoffer no. resistance to the ling surface upon a correspondingly increased 'w'a-ter surface, results in greatly increasing the propelling force of the swimmer; and thereby materially 'increa singyhis speed On" the reverse :movewater, so'that' the swimmer;- eXerts no more efi ort' when equipped with theimproved' ac- "celera-tiii-g devices than he would when swi'm- 'ming without-them.

1" The plate M, at the toe'e-nd of the foot plate,

assists inmaintaining the level of the legs" while swimming, as they offer sufficient restrokes of tlie. legs; When swimmlng .a .vstraighteourse, the wings spread evenly as shown'in'Fi-g. 3,.sbut in turning, the stroke 7 sista-nce tothe water to prevent the feet from being forced downward! on the propelling nel members Gan-d1, which will afford firm hold uponthe beach and prevent slipping by contactwi-th StOIleS QI SlH-JHS.

Having described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to securebyfLetters Patent, is::fi 1 r I a r 1. In a speed accelerating device fonswinrmers, a foot plate: and securing meanstlierefor, Wingshinged to the. long sides of said plate-pairs. of chains secured. at one end-to each' WlHg and having hooks on their free ends, aring connecting thehooks of each pair of oppositely positionedichams, supports on the foot plate and bolts; which pass throu'gh 1 said supports: and said riin gs',. said: chains: limitmg theispreadof said w1ngs.;; 7-; I 2 2'. In: asp-sodacceleratingdevlcefor sW1m-' "for, wings .hingeditoa the long sides of said pl?ate-, channel bars seemed to the bottoimof saidlplaite, adjacent the ends thereof, a; bolt passing centrally through the siides ofiefizch "channel rings-supported" on said bolts, GllfldLI-ISLGGIH-IGQiiGd' at one-end; toeach Wingand havinghookson their freei ends, the hooksof each pair of opposite chainsabeing iconmected; to, meet said rings thereby to limitvthe spread offthe wings; x o is -i2 speed accelerating device for swimtmersmompzrismg a footplate having securing straps thereon, Twingshinged-toopposite sides "of 'Sfillld PIfihHLfiilliIfiiDSVGTSQ channel. bar' onithe bottomtot said plate rnear each end. thereof, bolts extending through saidch'annetbars and supported thereon-,;ch=ains secured atone end to each wing and having, hooks; on their more, a foot' plate securingxmealns-theref free ends, two opposite chains being hooked wings, said Wings being turned up at right angles. to) the-,foot. plate; to permit walking torone ring-ttli'erebytd limit: the spreadeof the I i and ringzon one of said strapisztowhich opposite chains are hooked to? hold th'GiWiHg'S insuchpositions; :if i 1 In testimony whereof, I aflixmy' signature.

' a :T @JDEGIDERIO lTRUJ-ILLO.

of the: legs is notin!- a direct line' andfthe l I 'pressur;e-on one wing maybe greaterthan the I pressureon the other wing, and this-uneven pressure caluses ailateral shiftingofthe chains Y until stopped by therings-12,.which permit 1 a l; -V

th-ewingsto stand at different 'anglesto'the r 7 foot: platepas indicated by the dotted lines in j 

